Latest news with #RavelMorrison
The Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
‘Time has moved on' – Man Utd wild child Ravel Morrison, 32, targeting Championship transfer as he puts past behind him
RAVEL MORRISON has pleaded for clubs to ignore his wild child past. The former Manchester United wonderkid is targeting a move back to the Championship - but wants to put the past behind him. Morrison was hailed as a whizz-kid of the Old Trafford youth system when Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge but he quickly earned the reputation of an unreliable 'bad boy'. He made what turned out to be disappointing move to West Ham and then Lazio, where he only managed eight appearances in 2015. Loan spells at Birmingham City, QPR, Cardiff City, Sheffield United, Derby County and Mexican side at Atlas also didn't work out. But Morrison is wiser than the kid who got into trouble, ended up in court and left Old Trafford on a sour note. Back in September, the 32-year-old signed for the 14th club of his rollercoaster career - Precision FC in Dubai in the UAE second division. He told The Athletic: 'Even now, I can guarantee that if I signed for a club in England, the headline in all the newspapers would be something negative. 'If another player at United gets into trouble, he's always 'the next Ravel'. Anything that anyone does wrong gets linked to my name. 'It pops up on my Instagram and I'm thinking, 'Oh, not again… how many years is this now?'. At West Ham, there were occasions when he missed training because he had been up all night on his PlayStation. And he was accused of attitude issues, timing problems and appeared in court for witness intimidation and criminal damage while at Man Utd in 2011. Ravel Morrison reveals he used to steal boots from Man Utd dressing room to sell and feed his family Morrison was also once fined £7000 by the FA for alleged homophobic comments made on Twitter. But homesick Morrison has set his mind on moving back to England and having one last crack at the second-tier again, where he has already played for six different sides. He said: 'I do believe I can play in the Championship — easy. The frustrating thing is I'm not getting the opportunity. 'My agent has spoken to a lot of sporting directors, chief scouts and heads of recruitment, and we've got really close to an agreement. 'Then they get the manager's opinion and it becomes, 'Ah, but he's done this, he's done that', and they are speaking about things that happened when I was a kid. 'Time has moved on, it's over a decade ago. But it's crazy sometimes how people don't move on.' 'So many people have formed an opinion about me, but those opinions are based on things that happened 10 to 15 years ago. 'I'm 32 now. I've played football around the world and had a good career. I'm not a kid of 16 or 17 anymore. 'But then again, I have to look at myself because it all stems from my own mistakes. I did some things that were wrong and I can't blame anyone but myself.' He has won 20 caps for Jamaica since switching allegiances in 2020. Morrison, who shares the same hometown as Marcus Rashford in Wythenshawe, has his eyes set on returning to where it all began at Carrington. Speaking on the Undr the Cosh podcast last month, Morrison said: "I've got my B licence now - I did it in the summer. '"I want to get into some type of coaching after I retire. That'd be good. I'd like to go back to United!" 2
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘Time has moved on' – Man Utd wild child Ravel Morrison, 32, targeting Championship transfer as he puts past behind him
He eventually wants to end up back at United MORR TO COME 'Time has moved on' – Man Utd wild child Ravel Morrison, 32, targeting Championship transfer as he puts past behind him Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RAVEL MORRISON has pleaded for clubs to ignore his wild child past. The former Manchester United wonderkid is targeting a move back to the Championship - but wants to put the past behind him. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Ravel Morrison has pleaded for clubs to ignore his wild past Credit: Getty Morrison was hailed as a whizz-kid of the Old Trafford youth system when Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge but he quickly earned the reputation of an unreliable 'bad boy'. He made what turned out to be disappointing move to West Ham and then Lazio, where he only managed eight appearances in 2015. Loan spells at Birmingham City, QPR, Cardiff City, Sheffield United, Derby County and Mexican side at Atlas also didn't work out. But Morrison is wiser than the kid who got into trouble, ended up in court and left Old Trafford on a sour note. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS 'MISSED BY ALL' Heartbreak for England legend as wife dies after months battling illness Back in September, the 32-year-old signed for the 14th club of his rollercoaster career - Precision FC in Dubai in the UAE second division. He told The Athletic: 'Even now, I can guarantee that if I signed for a club in England, the headline in all the newspapers would be something negative. 'If another player at United gets into trouble, he's always 'the next Ravel'. Anything that anyone does wrong gets linked to my name. 'It pops up on my Instagram and I'm thinking, 'Oh, not again… how many years is this now?'. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS At West Ham, there were occasions when he missed training because he had been up all night on his PlayStation. And he was accused of attitude issues, timing problems and appeared in court for witness intimidation and criminal damage while at Man Utd in 2011. Ravel Morrison reveals he used to steal boots from Man Utd dressing room to sell and feed his family Morrison was also once fined £7000 by the FA for alleged homophobic comments made on Twitter. But homesick Morrison has set his mind on moving back to England and having one last crack at the second-tier again, where he has already played for six different sides. He said: 'I do believe I can play in the Championship — easy. The frustrating thing is I'm not getting the opportunity. It all stems from my own mistakes Morrison 'My agent has spoken to a lot of sporting directors, chief scouts and heads of recruitment, and we've got really close to an agreement. 'Then they get the manager's opinion and it becomes, 'Ah, but he's done this, he's done that', and they are speaking about things that happened when I was a kid. 'Time has moved on, it's over a decade ago. But it's crazy sometimes how people don't move on.' 'So many people have formed an opinion about me, but those opinions are based on things that happened 10 to 15 years ago. 'I'm 32 now. I've played football around the world and had a good career. I'm not a kid of 16 or 17 anymore. 'But then again, I have to look at myself because it all stems from my own mistakes. I did some things that were wrong and I can't blame anyone but myself.' He has won 20 caps for Jamaica since switching allegiances in 2020. Morrison, who shares the same hometown as Marcus Rashford in Wythenshawe, has his eyes set on returning to where it all began at Carrington. Speaking on the Undr the Cosh podcast last month, Morrison said: "I've got my B licence now - I did it in the summer. '"I want to get into some type of coaching after I retire. That'd be good. I'd like to go back to United!"
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘Time has moved on' – Man Utd wild child Ravel Morrison, 32, targeting Championship transfer as he puts past behind him
RAVEL MORRISON has pleaded for clubs to ignore his wild child past. The former Advertisement 2 Ravel Morrison has pleaded for clubs to ignore his wild past Credit: Getty Morrison was hailed as a whizz-kid of the Old Trafford youth system when Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge but he quickly earned the reputation of an unreliable 'bad boy'. He made what turned out to be disappointing move to West Ham and then Lazio, where he only managed eight appearances in 2015. Loan spells at But Morrison is wiser than the kid who got into trouble, ended up in court and left Old Trafford on a sour note. Advertisement READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS Back in September, the 32-year-old signed for the 14th club of his rollercoaster career - He told 'If another player at United gets into trouble, he's always 'the next Ravel'. Anything that anyone does wrong gets linked to my name. 'It pops up on my Instagram and I'm thinking, 'Oh, not again… how many years is this now?'. Advertisement Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS At West Ham, there were occasions when he missed training because he had been up all night on his PlayStation. And he was accused of attitude issues, timing problems and appeared in court for Ravel Morrison reveals he used to steal boots from Man Utd dressing room to sell and feed his family Morrison was also Advertisement But homesick Morrison has set his mind on moving back to England and having one last crack at the second-tier again, where he has already played for six different sides. It all stems from my own mistakes Morrison The Athletic 'My agent has spoken to a lot of sporting directors, chief scouts and heads of recruitment, and we've got really close to an agreement. 'Then they get the manager's opinion and it becomes, 'Ah, but he's done this, he's done that', and they are speaking about things that happened when I was a kid. Advertisement 'Time has moved on, it's over a decade ago. But it's crazy sometimes how people don't move on.' 'So many people have formed an opinion about me, but those opinions are based on things that happened 10 to 15 years ago. 'I'm 32 now. I've played football around the world and had a good career. I'm not a kid of 16 or 17 anymore. 'But then again, I have to look at myself because it all stems from my own mistakes. I did some things that were wrong and I can't blame anyone but myself.' Advertisement He has won 20 caps for Jamaica since switching allegiances in 2020. Morrison , who shares the same hometown as Marcus Rashford in Wythenshawe, has his eyes set on returning to where it all began at Carrington. Speaking on the '"I want to get into some type of coaching after I retire. That'd be good. I'd like to go back to United!" Advertisement 2
New York Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Ravel Morrison interview: Older, wiser and ‘moving on' after Manchester United troubles
If you have any preconceptions about Ravel Morrison — and, let's face it, many people do — it might come as a surprise that, close up, he is not the person you may expect him to be. For someone who is regularly portrayed as one of the bad-boys of English football, it turns out he is actually rather pleasant company. Advertisement This alleged troublemaker wants to know if he can fetch me a coffee. Maybe something from the fruit bowl? He thanks me for coming and asks how I will be getting home. Only little things, you might think, but not every footballer is so courteous. There is humour, too. At one point, mid-interview, a friend wanders over to say hello. Morrison gets up from his seat to introduce everyone and explains that The Athletic's correspondent is, in fact, the 'chief scout from Real Madrid'. And for a brief moment, his mate falls for it — maybe because, even now, if you put Morrison into a training session with the stars of the Bernabeu, you would expect him to hold his own. As it is, his career has taken a different path since those early days at Manchester United when Sir Alex Ferguson regarded him as the most talented boy he had seen during all his years in charge. The boy has become a man. Morrison is 32 now — older, wiser, a lot more worldly than the kid who got into trouble, ended up in court and left Old Trafford without fulfilling that rare potential. So why does it remain so difficult for him, all these years on, to break free from his past? 'Even now, I can guarantee that if I signed for a club in England, the headline in all the newspapers would be something negative,' he says. 'If another player at United gets into trouble, he's always 'the next Ravel'. Anything that anyone does wrong gets linked to my name. It pops up on my Instagram and I'm thinking, 'Oh, not again… how many years is this now?'. 'What I've found is that if you get a reputation early on, it can stick with you through life. Or it does with me, anyway. 'So many people have formed an opinion about me, but those opinions are based on things that happened 10 to 15 years ago. I'm 32 now. I've played football around the world and had a good career. I'm not a kid of 16 or 17 anymore.' Advertisement He has spent the past nine months at Precision FC, a British-owned club in Dubai that was founded in 2023 and hailed his arrival last September as 'more than a signing — it's a statement, a game-changer for both our club and football in the United Arab Emirates'. Playing abroad has never fazed Morrison, from Lazio in Italy's Serie A to Atlas in Mexico's Liga MX, as well as spells with Swedish club Ostersund, Dutch team ADO Den Haag and a stint in the United States with DC United. The experiences, he says, have taught him a lot about football and life in general. Recently, though, he has set his mind on moving home and reminding English audiences of the talent that saw him light up the Premier League, all too briefly, in West Ham's colours. Steve McClaren, Jamaica's national manager, has stated publicly — as well as telling Morrison in person — that he needs to return to Europe to play at a higher level. 'The level is not the best,' Morrison says, almost apologetically, about football in the UAE, where Precision FC play in the third tier. 'The club have been very good to me. Training is good. We've got a lot of good players and it's a nice life. I'd just like to be playing at a higher level. 'In Dubai, we're beating teams 7-1 week in, week out. I can go into games thinking, 'It's going to be easy today'. It's too easy — you feel like you're not developing.' So, who has been in touch? Well, lots of people, inevitably. Everyone knows about Morrison's talent, his vision and ability to play passes that other footballers do not even see. It's just not that straightforward when notoriety clings to you like superglue. 'I do believe I can play in the Championship — easy,' says Morrison. 'The frustrating thing is I'm not getting the opportunity. 'My agent has spoken to a lot of sporting directors, chief scouts and heads of recruitment, and we've got really close (to an agreement). Then they get the manager's opinion and it becomes, 'Ah, but he's done this, he's done that', and they are speaking about things that happened when I was a kid. Time has moved on, it's over a decade ago. But it's crazy sometimes how people don't move on.' In football, it has always been easier to get a bad name than to lose one. In Morrison's case, however, he has been such a subject of fascination that it is difficult to think of any modern-day player since Mario Balotelli, with Manchester City, who has had so many wild stories attached to his name. Advertisement So we go through a small selection, one by one. Was it true, on his first day at Lazio, that Morrison decided he had to leave Rome because they did not serve salad cream in the club canteen? 'I've never heard that one,' he says, and now he's laughing. 'No salad cream? I'd just take my own salad cream!' At West Ham, did he complain about his accommodation because he was convinced it was haunted? 'Ahahaha! I haven't got a clue where that's come from, either. Honestly, every time I speak to someone different, there is a story that I had never heard before.' Was he a beer monster? No, again — the man sitting here today is virtually teetotal. Yet when he appeared on the Undr the Cosh podcast recently, one of the presenters told Morrison he had always assumed he must be a big boozer. 'That was a mad thing to hear,' says Morrison. 'I don't know how anyone ever got that idea. I will maybe have a drink if it's Christmas or a special occasion like a birthday. But I don't go out drinking at weekends, or even once a month, because it just doesn't appeal to me. 'Then I went on Undr the Cosh and (more laughter) they asked if it was true I'd p***ed in (Birmingham City manager) Lee Clark's pond while I was supposed to be looking after his fish.' So where does all this come from? And here's a wider question about the way Morrison is often depicted: would it have been different if this were a white kid? Morrison, raised in the same Manchester suburb as Marcus Rashford, takes a few seconds before answering that one. 'I think so, yeah. There have been a lot of players — and I don't want to say names — who have got into trouble, been caught drinking and dragged out of nightclubs, and it's all forgotten about. I get in trouble once and it is still used against me all these years later.' It is a difficult, complex subject, and, to be clear, Morrison makes the point more than once that he has done some 'stupid things' and has to take personal responsibility. Advertisement At West Ham, there were occasions when he missed training because he had been up all night on his PlayStation. 'I was still really young (19) when I moved to London. When you're on the PlayStation, you feel like you've been on an hour, but when you look at the time, it's three in the morning and you've been on for four hours. 'I just couldn't wake up sometimes. They were easy mistakes to make — stupid mistakes, yeah — but it's not like I was out drinking in town every weekend and having fights. It was only once in a blue moon when I would be late.' More seriously, there was the 2011 case at Trafford youth court when a 17-year-old Morrison, three months after his Manchester United debut, pleaded guilty to two offences of intimidating a court witness — the 15-year-old victim of a street robbery perpetrated by two of Morrison's friends — and was given a 12-month referral order. 'I do feel unfairly represented sometimes,' he says. 'But then again, I have to look at myself because it all stems from my own mistakes. I did some things that were wrong and I can't blame anyone but myself.' Did United do enough to help the teenager through his behavioural issues? In court, it was noticeable that nobody from Old Trafford went along to support him. Those of us who sat through the proceedings heard the judge questioning whether United were providing suitable care. One detail, in particular, stood out: that Morrison had been diagnosed with ADHD and was not taking his medication, on United's say-so, because the club had concerns it would breach anti-doping rules. It was a difficult position for all concerned, but especially Morrison. 'I was on medication at first, but then it got stopped,' the player says. 'I don't know if it was (a ruling from) FIFA itself, because of the restrictions. But they (United) couldn't let me take it. It's not United's fault, though, because if it's a banned substance, there is nothing you can do. They were protecting me from being banned.' Advertisement Fourteen years on, Morrison still has an apartment in Manchester, meaning he can be close to his mother, Sharon, and two younger brothers. He admits to feeling homesick at times. A typical evening, he says, is to 'watch a series on TV, chill and get in bed'. It doesn't sound very rock 'n roll, but Morrison is coming to a point in his life when the conversation can also veer off-subject into debating Manchester's one-way traffic system. He likes to play padel and, if he is home, he will meet some of his old team-mates for a Tuesday night kickabout. People who meet him are often surprised by how much he loves his sport and how open and friendly he is. Not once has he blamed ADHD for his past issues. The caricature of Morrison, of course, is very different. But that is his point: it's a caricature. Or why, for example, would Wayne Rooney, his former Old Trafford colleague, sign him twice for both Derby County and DC United? 'I've got on with every manager I've played for: Wayne Rooney, Lee Clark, Jonathan Woodgate (Middlesbrough), Chris Wilder (Sheffield United), Harry Redknapp (Birmingham), Ian Holloway (Queens Park Rangers), many others, too. Despite what people think of me, I have never had a toxic relationship with any manager, ever.' His happiest time in football? That was at West Ham, he says, where the fans loved his skills and Morrison left the impression that he was on first-name terms with the ball. For the record, he speaks highly of Sam Allardyce, too. Yes, they did fall out, as widely reported, when Allardyce allegedly put pressure on Morrison during contract talks to link up with his own agent (a claim denied by the manager). And yes, Allardyce did use his 2015 autobiography to question whether Morrison was cut out to be an elite footballer. But maybe it says something about Morrison that he prefers to remember happier times rather than harbouring a grudge. Advertisement 'I got on really well with Sam until that disagreement about the contract,' he says. 'I haven't read his book. He's said what he's said, but I've only got good things to say about him.' As for Manchester United, Morrison retains fond memories of the club that took him on, aged eight, a few days after the boyhood Arsenal fan was released from Manchester City's junior system for allegedly being too small. 'I do wish I had never left United,' he says. 'If you speak to Warren Joyce (formerly United's youth coach), they all loved me. I'd always bring a good vibe, I was never negative. 'I got on with Sir Alex — I haven't seen him since I left, but I'd love to have a chat with him — and I remember (one of Ferguson's assistants) Rene Meuelensteen telling me I shouldn't leave. 'I don't think I was difficult to manage. I just didn't see any real opportunity to get in the team when they already had Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and so many others. United were in Champions League finals, winning Premier Leagues. I didn't want to hang on any longer.' Reflecting on his career since then, Morrison will admit he has not lived up to the potential that saw him, as a teenager, hailed as the future of English football. He knows he has fallen short. He has, however, won 20 caps for Jamaica since switching allegiances in 2020. His heart is set on representing the Reggae Boyz at the World Cup and he is firmly in McClaren's plans. And beyond that? Morrison has already started his coaching qualifications. 'Football is a very simple game,' says a man with the most complicated of stories.
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Ravel Morrison targeting shock Man Utd return and reveals it's been nearly a YEAR in the making
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RAVEL MORRISON is targeting a shock return to Manchester United. The Red Devils academy product was tipped to be a future first-team star but failed to live up to expectations. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Ravel Morrison is targeting a shock return to Man Utd 3 Manchester born Morrison was once the biggest star at Carrington Morrison ultimately left the club in 2012, after off field concerns and number of injures, before joining Premier League side West Ham. He has since averaged one free agent season at Derby, Sheffield United, and Middlesbrough, as well as two loan spells at QPR. And back in September, Morrison signed for the 14th club of his rollercoaster career - Precision FC in Dubai - where he's made 20 appearances and scored nine goals. But the 32-year-old, who shares the same hometown as Marcus Rashford in Wythenshawe, has his eyes set on returning to where it all began at Carrington. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS FINAL CLASH Shocking moment Man Utd & Spurs fans brawl in Spain ahead of Europa final Speaking on the Undr the Cosh podcast, Morrison said: 'I've got my B licence now - I did it in the summer. '"I want to get into some type of coaching after I retire. That'd be good. I'd like to go back to United!" Morrison was described by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson as having "as much natural talent as any youngster we ever signed". But he was limited to just three first team appearances for Man Utd after making his senior debut against Wolves in October 2010. Join SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from Old Trafford But things quickly took the wrong turn and Ferguson later said: "The boy had a good heart. He was just beaten by his background." Before his move to Dubai, Morrison had previously played in the USA for D.C. United, in the Netherlands for ADO Den Haag, in Sweden for Ostersunds, in Mexico for Atlas, in Italy for Lazio and for eight different clubs across England and Wales. Morrison represented England at U16, U17, U18 and U21 levels but he has played senior international football for Jamaica since 2020. Rio Ferdinand almost in tears at Sir Alex Ferguson's heartwarming text about Man Utd wonderkid Ravel Morrison
